Penny is right on time Monday. As always. She marches into the lab with her eyes narrowed. She doesn't stop until she reaches the table he's sat at and leans her hands against it.

"How was your weekend?" She asked a little more pointedly than normal. The brace on her wrist is still there, but it's been replaced with a smaller one. "Have a nice lunch?"

Tony looks up at her and sits back in his chair. So, she knows. "I did, in fact. How was your weekend? Movie marathon, was it?" Penny ignores him and pulls up a chair.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to lunch with Ms. Potts!? That's huge! Since she invited you and all that. I mean, I'm sure it was a test since it wasn't a one-on-one, not a date or anything, that would've been weird since my aunt was there. But still! I can't believe you didn't tell me! I thought we were partners. Is this what betrayal feels like?"

"Did you breathe at all during that?" Again, Penny ignores him.

"How did it go?!"

"It went," Tony shrugged. "We all talked, it was nice. The food was better than I expected."

"Yeah, Marco's is great. I can't believe May went without me. Another betrayal." Penny huffed to herself. "But we're all going out to get our nails done next weekend. Pepper, May, and I. I don't think that's something you'll want to crash."

"I don't know," Tony looks down at his nails. "I could use a manicure." Penny snorts and rolls her eyes. Tony reminds himself that she has a poster of Iron Man in her room and chuckles.

"Anyway, I'm guessing you passed the test. What did you guys talk about?" You. But Tony can't tell her that.

"A lot of things, just casual lunch talk." May had confirmed Penny's story. She fell while running up the stairs and hurt her wrist. Nothing to worry about, she told them, just Penny being Penny. "And, yes, I'd say I passed with flying colors."

"Great! Awesome, we should plan our next steps." Tony raises an eyebrow at her.

"I think we have work we're supposed to be doing."

"This whole thing was your plan, don't chicken out now."

"Chicken out?" Tony scoffed. "I've never 'chickened out' of anything in my life."

"Okay, then. Any ideas?"

Humming, Tony rolls his chair closer to the table. "A few."

Pepper calls Tony up to her office because she 'needs to talk to him'. Tony expects nothing good but Penny doesn't seem bothered when he walks by. She just gives him a bright smile before going back to work. It eases his nerves slightly.

He knocks. Pepper tells him to come in and he does. He closes the door behind him. Pepper then asks him to sit. He does.

"I have a last-minute business trip," She said. "It wasn't planned but I have to go, I shouldn't be gone longer than a week."

"Ooh, where are you going? Anywhere fun?"

"Not that it would matter. I'll be working the entire time."

"You need a vacation," Tony said. Pepper huffs. It's neither an agreeing nor a disagreeing noise.

"I was wondering if you would take Penny," For a second, Tony feels like a divorcee talking to his ex about their child. Or maybe the dog. "Just for the the week. You already have her Mondays and Wednesdays anyway. I haven't told her about this yet, I wanted to see if you could before I did. I know it's a lot to ask and it's not a problem if not, I'm sure Penny could use the week off."

"It's no problem," Tony said. "I'll take her for the week, we can finish our project. It'll be great."

"Really?" Pepper sighs. "Thank you, Tony. It means a lot. To me and to her. Or it will. After I tell her."

"Want to do it together?" Tony offered. He's only half joking, doing a private bit in his head. He could pull off being a divorcee, he thinks. He'd only rather not.

Pepper looks at her watch and nods. "I have a minute."

"I'll grab her," Tony pushes himself up and pokes his head out of Pepper's office. He catches Penny's attention and motions her inside.

"I feel like I'm being called into the principal's office," Penny said.

"Ah, that's the first sign of guilt," Tony points at her. "Fess up."

"Never. I want a lawyer." She said with a straight face, her gaze meeting his steadily. Tony smiles.

"Right answer."

"Okay, kids," Pepper calls them over. She waits until they've sat and turns to Penny. "I've had a last-minute business trip come up. I'll be leaving this weekend so next week, you'll be working with Tony. If you're okay with that. If you'd rather have the week off, then-"

"Can I have Monday and Friday off? So I can help May with some things. And I have a book I'm supposed to read over the summer that I haven't started on yet. It should only take me a few hours but I've been putting it off. Anyway, I can work with Mr. Stark the other days, though. I'd love to if that's okay."

"I thought you had asthma," Tony said. Honestly, how does she talk so fast without a breath?

"What?" Penny's head jolts towards him, her eyebrows furrowed.

"You can have as many days as you need, Penny." Pepper's voice pulls both their attentions back to her. "Tony has already agreed to let you work with him all week. Just let him know when you'll be here, okay?"

"Okay!" Penny agreed. "Not a problem. Have a good trip!"

"Thank you, Penny. That's all." Penny shoots Tony a suspicious look on her way out. He has a feeling he'll be questioned later.

"She's starting to scare me." He said. Pepper laughs. It's a beautiful sound that makes Tony forget everything he was going to do that day.

Penny wanders into the lab exactly on time Tuesday morning. Tony looks up to greet her but stops short. Penny smiles at him, her own greeting about to leave her lips, but he cuts her off.

"That's one hell of a shiner, kid, what happened?" He tried to keep his voice light but it didn't work as well as he'd planned. But can he truly be blamed? It looks like someone punched the kid in the face!

"Oh, this?" Penny chuckles as she gestures to her eye. She drops her bag on the floor and falls into the closest chair. "I ran into a doorframe. It wasn't my fault, though! I was on the phone with my friend, he's on vacation now. Anyway, we were talking, maybe arguing, about Star Wars fan theories. See, he thinks that Kylo Ren-"

"I'm going to stop you right there, kid," Tony holds up his hand. "Those words mean nothing to me."

"I thought you were all-knowing?"

"Okay, cut the sass." Tony grabs a gel ice pack and hands it to her. "Put that on there."

"Oh, thanks," Penny accepts the offered object and presses it against her bruised eye. "It's really nothing, Mr. Stark, it looks worse than it is. And I heal fast, see," She holds up her wrist. The one that had been in a brace. It's now brace-less. She bends it back and forth with a grin. "All better."

"Does your aunt know about this?"

"Oh, yeah, she was there. Heard me do it and everything. It was loud."

"I bet," Tony gently knocks the hand holding the ice pack to her eye away so he can get a closer look. He turns her head under the light and squints at the bruise. He tuts to himself and moves the ice pack back. "Looks like it hurt."

"Eh, it's not so bad." She's convincing, Tony will give her that. But he's still not sure he believes her. But what is he supposed to say? 'Hey, I think you're lying. I don't think you walked into a doorframe and I'm not convinced you hurt your wrist falling up the stairs. So, tell me what really happened or else.'? He's not sure that would go over very well. And Pepper would probably get mad at him for meddling in things that aren't his business. It's something they've argued about before.

"You okay?" Tony blinks and looks at Penny. For some reason, she's the one who looks concerned for him.

"Yeah, kid, peachy. Ready to get to work?"

"Yeah!"

The next day, the bruise around Penny's eye is all but gone. Tony squints at her and Penny catches his look immediately. "Oh, May covered it with makeup for me. Cool, right? Since the swelling went down, it's like it's not even there." She explained. Tony only hummed before they moved on.

Thursday they finish the watch. Mostly. There's patents to fill out, last minute design details to sign off on. But the bulk of it is done. They have their first prototype. It passes every test they run it through and at the end of the day, Tony presents it to Penny.

"Really? I can keep it?"

"Well, it is yours, kid." Tony pushes it into her hands.

"It's your tech, though."

"Maybe. But that's all you, kid," He points at the watch held lightly between her fingers.

"I wouldn't have been able to make it without you." Tony isn't sure why, but he has to clear his throat before he can speak again.

"There's probably something to say about teamwork there. Anyway, that's your brainchild, take care of it."

"I will," Penny promised.

They'll be selling the watches through SI. Penny isn't in any place to provide the materials for mass production. But Tony is. So he will. And he'll make sure Penny gets credit and as much profit as possible. Like he said, this is all her idea. It'll take time though. And he'll need to talk to Pepper about it.

"I'm sure your aunt will enjoy being able to track you all the time."

"Oh, she already tracks my phone. It's very inconvenient." Tony laughs. The way she said it, like it's so wholeheartedly true. Tony thinks it's the most truthful thing she's ever said to him.

Tony watches Penny strap the watch onto her wrist and a strange feeling rises in his chest. He thinks it may be pride.

Saturday and Pepper still isn't back. He wants to ask when she will be but doesn't want to seem overbearing. Well, that was the advice Penny gave him.

He finds himself bored. There's always something to do, be it the company, the Avengers, or just tinkering in the lab. Tony hasn't been bored in a long time. He doesn't always enjoy what he's doing, but he's always doing something. There's not much space to be bored in his life. But for the first time in a long time, he just...doesn't know what to do.

Pepper is gone and Penny isn't here for the weekend. Rhodey is off doing whatever it is that Rhodey does, being less cool as the Iron Patriot than War Machine. The 'team'-Tony rolls his eyes at the thought-are probably being freeloaders at the compound.

He keeps tabs on them when there's nothing for them to do. It seems there's no threat deemed big enough for the Avengers right now. Clint isn't in town. He's on that peaceful little farm of his with his wife and kids. Probably doing dad things and fixing fences. For a second, Tony thinks maybe he's developing symptoms of a heart attack before he realizes he's...jealous. He grimaces to himself and gags a little. He's not jealous of fricking Legolas.

Tony threw out his alcohol after Pepper left him. Well, he drank most of it right after but didn't bother to replace it. He's smart enough to know there was a problem there. But he still has those glasses. They were just as expensive as some of the alcohol and he still likes drinking out of them. Only now, it's usually apple juice or something else just as ridiculous.

Today's poison is sparkling cider. He doesn't care much for the carbonation but he likes the way the bubbles look.

The couch in the living space was bought years ago but it looks almost brand new. It hasn't been used much. Tony lowers himself onto the cushions and thinks they're a little too stiff. Did he choose this couch? If so, he definitely didn't sit on it first.

The TV blinks after a quick command to FRIDAY. Tony thinks it's funny, using the AI to turn on his TV when he created her to aid in fighting as Iron Man. He wonders if she thinks it's too mundane for her too.

The news is the first thing he sees. He doesn't much care for watching the news. Or any other TV. He supposes it's part of his job as an Avenger to keep an eye on it but he'd prefer not to. If it's important for him to know, he usually finds out.

He's about to tell FRIDAY to change the channel-he should find the remote. Does he have a remote?-when he stops. He catches sight of the headline and for a second, thinks he read it wrong. He reads it again.

"Spider-themed vigilante saves young child from fire"

"Spider what?" He said aloud. He lives in New York, he's no stranger to vigilantes. They're all over the place, like ants around a crumb. He knows about the devil one and a few others. But a spider one is new to him. He wonders if this is one of those things he missed in his avoidance of the news.

"Fri, what do we know about this...spider person," Tony huffs to himself. He never thought that was something he would say. Not seriously, at least.

"The vigilante known as Spider-Man first appeared five months ago."

"Spiderman?" Tony raises his eyebrows and stares at his phone. Every article FRIDAY can find on the vigilante appears on his screen with the news still playing in the background.

"Spelt Spider hyphen Man. There are debates online as to whether the vigilante is in fact a man or a woman. No one seems to know for sure. It would seem they mostly stick to the little stuff. There are photos and videos ranging from them helping an old woman cross the road to stopping car accidents."

"Nothing nefarious?" He feels ridiculous even asking. This person is running around in a set of pajamas. Anyone self-respecting criminal he needs to worry about would never.

"All reports of interactions are only positive. The police seem to have mixed feelings."

"Don't they always?" Tony mumbled. He hums and skims an article about crime stats dropping in Queens since the vigilante's appearance. Mostly muggings and carjackings.

"What do you think about starting a new project, Fri?"

"Sounds riveting."

"Yes, I think so too," Tony stands and marches towards the elevator. He can't sit around and let someone looking out for the little guy do it in nothing but a ripped, and probably now burnt, sweatsuit. It's not in his very humanitarian heart. Pepper would be proud. And if it happens to cure his boredom, only he has to know.

Pepper is back at work Monday. So is Penny. Tony doesn't mention that he's working on a suit for a vigilante. He just knows Pepper would accuse him of obsessing over something. And he's not doing that. Besides, his girls are back so he can put it on the back burner for now.

When he walks into Pepper's office-the door was already open- and comes to a stop next to Penny. She greets him with a large smile and an arm full of files. Really, what does she do with those?

"Hey, kid. Hey, Pep, how was your trip?"

"Far from restful," Pepper mumbled. She's looking all over her desk like she lost something. Which is strange, Tony thinks she's the most organized person he's ever met.

"Vacation," Is all he says. "Anyway, did Penny tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Pepper stops and takes a seat. Tony moves to sit across from her.

"We finished our project while you were gone. Go on, kid, show her," Penny looks bashful as she steps around Pepper's desk and holds out her wrist.

"Oh, wow! That's awesome," Pepper grinned. She takes Penny's arm and twists it slightly to get a look at the watch encompassing her wrist. "You'll have to tell me all about it. We can have lunch together."

"Okay," Penny nods with a smile. Tony thinks he sees a shade of purple near her elbow but she rolls her sleeve down before he gets a good look. "I need to drop these off. I'll be back. So glad you're back, Ms. Potts!"

"Glad to be back, Penny." The door closes behind her and Pepper looks over at him. "So, no fires were set while I was gone." She said approvingly.

"So little faith, Ms. Potts."

"I have plenty of faith. In Penny." Tony gasps and places his hand over his heart.

"You wound me." Not that it isn't deserved. He once set the kitchen on fire trying to cook lasagna. Maybe he should've started with spaghetti. Oh, maybe he should learn to cook for Pepper. He pulls out his phone to send Penny a text about it. "I hope you didn't set any fires wherever you were."

"Please, I was putting out fires."

"Sounds fun, firefighter Potts."

"That's one word for it. How was your time with Penny?"

"Good. She's smart. She'll go places." Pepper seems pleased with his answer.

"As I'm sure you'll find out soon enough if you don't already know, her birthday is in August. Please don't do anything crazy."

"What do you mean?" Birthday. She'll be...sixteen? He'll need to confirm. What do sixteen-year-olds usually get for their birthdays? Not a private jet. A car maybe. But Penny doesn't know how to drive. Eh, he can teach her.

"I know how you are, Tony. You like big gifts. So I repeat myself, don't do anything crazy."

"How about this, I'll get permission from her aunt before I do anything." For a split second, Pepper looks taken aback. Tony likes to think of it as her pleasantly surprised look. "I'll call her, don't worry about it. No going overboard. Speaking of, I have a thing. Have a great day, Pep. Glad you have you back."

He checks his phone as he walks away. There's one text from Penny.

I can teach you! My aunt can't cook to save her life but I'm decent. YouTube is a great teacher.

Maybe they can start with how to cook a cake.